In May, the consumer price index (CPI) went up by 2.1 percent year-on-year. The prices grew by 2.1 percent in cities and 2.2 percent in rural areas. The food prices went up by 3.2 percent, while the non-food prices increased by 1.6 percent. The prices of consumer goods went up by 1.8 percent and the prices of services grew by 2.8 percent. On average from January to May, the overall consumer prices were up by 2.4 percent over the same period of the previous year.
In May, the month-on-month change of consumer prices was down by 0.6 percent, of which, prices decreased 0.6 percent in cities and 0.5 percent in rural areas. The food prices went down by 1.6 percent, the non-food prices went up by 0.1 percent. The prices of consumer goods decreased 0.8 percent, and the prices of services kept at the same level (the amount of change was 0, similarly hereinafter).
I. Year-on-Year Changes of Prices of Different Categories
In May, food prices went up by 3.2 percent year-on-year, affecting nearly 1.05 percentage points increase in the overall price level. Of which, the prices of grain went up by 5.1 percent, affecting nearly 0.15 percentage point increase in the overall price level; fresh fruits, up by 6.5 percent, affecting nearly 0.14 percentage point increase in the overall price level; meat, poultry and related products went up by 1.6 percent, affecting nearly 0.12 percentage point increase in the overall price level (price of pork was down by 4.9 percent, affecting nearly 0.15 percentage point decrease in the overall price level); eggs, up by 11.5 percent, affecting nearly 0.08 percentage point increase in the overall price level; aquatic products, up by 2.2 percent, affecting nearly 0.06 percentage point increase in the overall price level; fresh vegetables went down by 1.9 percent, affecting nearly 0.06 percentage point decrease in the overall price level.
Prices for tobacco and liquor went up by 0.5 percent year-on-year, of which, that of liquor was up by 0.6 percent and tobacco was up by 0.4 percent.
Prices for clothing rose by 2.5 percent year-on-year. The prices for clothes went up by 2.7 percent while the prices for shoes increased 1.7 percent.
Prices for household facilities, articles and maintenance services went up by 1.6 percent year-on-year, of which, prices for household services and processing, maintenance services, up by 9.6 percent and durable consumer goods up by 0.1 percent.
Prices for health care and personal articles grew by 1.5 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for traditional Chinese herbal medicines and proprietary Chinese medicines, up by 2.8 percent, health care services, up by 1.9 percent, medical apparatus and supplies increased 0.7 percent, and western medicine kept at the same level.
Prices for transportation and communication went down by 1.2 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for communication facilities, down by 9.2 percent, fuels and parts for vehicles, down by 6.0 percent, transportation facilities dropped by 1.2 percent, vehicles use and maintenance, up by 4.7 percent.
Prices for recreation, education, culture articles and services grew by 1.3 percent year-on-year. Of which, education service and recreation and culture both went up by 2.9 percent, touring and outing, up by 0.3 percent, durable consumer goods for recreational and cultural use and services, down by 3.6 percent.
Prices for residence went up by 3.0 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for house renting, up by 4.3 percent, water, electricity and fuel, up by 1.9 percent, building and building decoration materials rose by 1.1 percent.
According to estimation, in the 2.1 percent growth in May, the carryover effect of last year's prices rising accounted for 1.3 percentage points, while new prices rising factors in this year accounted for 0.8 percentage point.
II. Month-on-Month Changes of Prices of Different Categories
In May, food prices decreased 1.6 percent month-on-month, contributing 0.52 percentage point to the month-on-month decrease of consumer prices. In May, prices for fresh vegetables decreased 13.8 percent, affecting nearly 0.49percentage point decrease in the overall price level. Prices of grease, meat, poultry and related products, eggs were down by 1.3, 1.2 and 0.4 percent respectively, affecting nearly 0.11 percentage point decrease in the overall price level in total (price of pork was down by 1.4 percent, affecting nearly 0.04 percentage point decrease in the overall price level). Prices for fresh fruits and aquatic products increased 0.9 and 0.7 percent respectively, affecting nearly 0.04 percentage point increase in the overall price level in total.
Non-food prices decreased 0.1 percent in May, month-on-month, affecting nearly 0.04 percentage point decrease in the overall price level. Of which, the month-on-month prices for transportation and communication, recreation, education, culture articles and services, tobacco and liquor were down by 0.4, 0.3 and 0.1 percent respectively, that of clothing, household facilities, articles and maintenance services, health care and personal articles, residence all went up by 0.1 percent. In view of water, electricity and fuel, the month-on-month prices for liquefied petroleum gas went down by 1.3 percent.
Consumer Prices in May
| Items | May | Average on Jan-May | |
| M/M (%) | Y/Y (%) | Y/Y (%) | |
| Consumer Prices | -0.6 | 2.1 | 2.4 |
| Of which: Urban | -0.6 | 2.1 | 2.3 |
| Rural | -0.5 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
| Of which: Food | -1.6 | 3.2 | 3.8 |
| Non food | -0.1 | 1.6 | 1.7 |
| Of which: Consumer Goods | -0.8 | 1.8 | 2.2 |
| Services | 0 | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| Of which: Excluding Food and Energy | 0 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| By Commodity Categories | |||
| I. Food | -1.6 | 3.2 | 3.8 |
| Grain | 0.1 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| Grease | -1.3 | 1.8 | 3.9 |
| Meat, Poultry and Related Products | -1.2 | 1.6 | 2.6 |
| Of which: Pork | -1.4 | -4.9 | -4.6 |
| Beef | 0.4 | 29.1 | 31.5 |
| Mutton | 0.5 | 15.4 | 14.2 |
| Eggs | -0.4 | 11.5 | 13.6 |
| Aquatic Products | 0.7 | 2.2 | 3.2 |
| Fresh Vegetables | -13.8 | -1.9 | 1.2 |
| Fresh Fruits | 0.9 | 6.5 | 2.7 |
| Milk and dairy Products | 0.3 | 4.4 | 4.3 |
| II. Tobacco, Liquor and Articles | -0.1 | 0.5 | 1 |
| Tobacco | 0 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| Liquor | -0.3 | 0.6 | 1.5 |
| III. Clothing | 0.1 | 2.5 | 2.4 |
| Clothing | 0.2 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| Shoes | -0.1 | 1.7 | 1.6 |
| IV. Household Facilities, Articles and Maintenance Services | 0.1 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| Durable Consumers | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Household Services and Processing, Maintenance Service | 0.3 | 9.6 | 9.4 |
| V. Health Care and Personal Articles | 0.1 | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| Chinese Herbal Medicines and Proprietary Chinese Medicines | 0.5 | 2.8 | 2.6 |
| Western Medicines | 0.1 | 0 | 0.1 |
| Health Care Services | 0.2 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| VI. Transportation and Communication | -0.4 | -1.2 | -0.5 |
| Transportation Facilities | -0.2 | -1.2 | -1.1 |
| Fuels and Parts for Vehicles | -2.2 | -6 | -1.7 |
| Communication Facilities | -1.1 | -9.2 | -9.7 |
| Communication Services | -0.1 | -0.1 | -0.1 |
| VII. Recreation, Education, Culture Articles and Services | -0.3 | 1.3 | 1.4 |
| Education Services | 0.1 | 2.9 | 2.8 |
| Tourism | -2 | 0.3 | 2 |
| VIII. Residence | 0.1 | 3 | 2.9 |
| Building and its Decoration Materials | 0.1 | 1.1 | 0.9 |
| House Renting | 0.3 | 4.3 | 3.6 |
| Water, Electricity, and Fuel | -0.3 | 1.9 | 2.5 |
Annotations:
1. Explanatory Notes
Consumer Price Index (CPI) is an index measuring changes over time in the price level of consumer goods and services purchased by residents, which comprehensively reflects the changes of price level.
2. Statistical Coverage
Consumer Price Index (CPI) covers the prices of goods and services of eight categories and 262 basic divisions which cover the living consumption of urban and rural residents, including food; tobacco, liquor and articles; clothing; household facilities, articles and maintenance services; health care and personal articles; transportation and communication; recreation, education, culture articles and services and residence.
3. Survey Methods
The prices collection units are selected and determined by sample survey methods, and the original data of consumer prices are collected by specific person in fixed place at fixed time. Data are collected from 63,000 prices collection units in 500 cities and counties of the 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), which cover grocery stores, department stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, professional markets, franchise houses, shopping centers, open fairs and service consuming units etc.
